Small Caliber Ammunition

DESCRIPTION

Small Caliber Ammunition is .50 Caliber and below. Conventional Small Caliber Ammunition in production and deployment consists of 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, 9 mm, 10- and 12-gauge, .22 Caliber, .30 Caliber, .38 Caliber, .45 Caliber, .300 WinMag and .50 Caliber. The 5.56 mm cartridge is used in the M16 Rifle, M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The 7.62 mm cartridge is used in the M240 Machine Gun, as well as the M24, M110 and M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle Sniper Rifles. The 9 mm cartridge is fired in the M9 Pistol. The M2010 Sniper Rifle uses the .300 WinMag cartridge. The M2 Machine Gun and the M107 Sniper Rifle use .50 Caliber cartridges. The remaining Small Caliber Ammunition is used in a variety of pistols, rifles and shotguns.

Small Caliber Ammunition in research and development consists of Lightweight Case to lighten the Soldier’s load, Advanced Armor Piercing Capabilities, Reduced Range Training Ammunition and One Way Luminescent Trace Ammunition.

Three categories of Small Caliber Ammunition are currently in use. War Reserve Ammunition is ammunition with overmatch capability that supports individual and crew-served weapons during combat operations. Training Standard Ammunition is dual-purpose, and can be used to support both training and operational requirements. Training Unique Ammunition is designed specifically for use in training and is not for combat use, i.e., blank, dummy-inert, Close Combat Man-Marking Kit and short-range training ammunition.

BENEFIT TO THE WARFIGHTER

Standard ammunition provides the warfighter with the necessary lethality needed to defeat the enemy.

SPECIFICATIONS

Various specifications used are dependent on weapon platform, caliber and target set and effect.